Breeding season boot for male turkey&#39;s foot



April 16, 1940.

C. l. CHEELEY BREEDING SEASON BOOT FOR MALE TURKEYS FOOT Filed March 27, 1939 from/5Y5. Mm )LMML Patented Apr. 16, 1940 Fi ilifi BREEDING SEASON BOOT FOR MALE TURKEYS FOOT Charles I. Cheeley, Grants Pass, Oreg.

Application March 27,

8 Claims.

My invention relates to devices for protecting female turkeys from the claws of male turkeys during the breeding season and particularly to female-protective boots to be placed on the feet of male turkeys.

During the breeding season the bodies of many female turkeys are slashed by the claws of male turkeys and, when the turkeys are marketed, the females having scarred bodies are less desirable and hence must be sold for less than the unscarred birds. Devices to prevent the above mentioned slashing of female turkeys have been devised and usually consist of an apron, saddle or the like to be attached to the body of the female bird. Such devices are burdensome to the bird and furthermore prevent access of air and sunlight to portions of the birds body covered thereby and are conducive to accumulation of dirtor possible development of vermin. v

A general object is to provide means for protecting female turkeys from the claws of male turkeys during the breeding season without involving such disadvantages as those described above.

A more specific object is to provide a femaleprotective boot for covering the claws and spur of a male turkey.

Another object is to provide such a boot including means for preventing undesired removal thereof from a turkeys foot.

A further object is to provide such a boot of light, simple, durable and inexpensive construction.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the views, and, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of an embodiment of my invention shown in operative relation with the foot of a fowl;

Fig. 2 is a top view;

Fig. 3 is a partially broken-away, partially sec tional bottom view;

Fig. 4 is a side view of another embodiment of my invention shown in operative relation with the foot of a fowl; and

Fig. 5 is a top view.

Referring to the drawing and particularly to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, an embodiment shown therein consists of a case C shaped to receive and contain the foot F, spur S and the lowermost portion of the leg L of a turkey. The case C is made preferably of flexible sheet material such as, for ex- 1939, Serial No. 264,379

ample, heavy fabric. The case C includes three toe receiving portions 6, I, and 8 and a spur receiving portion 9 which are suitably located as shown, and each of which is generally similar to the finger of a glove. Free ends'of the portions 6, I, 8 and 9 are respectively provided with reinforcements consisting of additional respective layers 6a, la, 80., and 9a of fabric so that the reinforced portions of the case C constitute claw and spur encasing elements.

The case C may be made of a number of suitably shaped pieces of fabric stitched together as indicated at I0, ll, l2, l3 and I4.

From. the upper end of the case the case C is provided with a downwardly extending slit l for the purpose of affording access of a foot of a turkey to the interior of the case C. Releasable means is provided for closing the slit l5 and this means may consist of a slide fastener it as shown. Cords 11 and I8 are secured to opposite sides of the upper end portion of the case C as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3. The finger piece Ilia of the slide fastener I6 is apertured as at Nib. Such an aperture is usually found in the finger piece of a slide fastener of conventional form. When the case C has been placed on the foot of a turkey and the slide fastener it has been operated to close the slit [5, one of the cords l1 and i8 is extended through the apertured portion Nib of the finger piece lGa whereafter the cords ll and I8 are tied together at the front side of the case or boot C to cause the upper end of the case C to snugly encircle the leg L of the turkey. The cords H and it also perform the function of anchoring the finger piece [6a of the slide fastener l6 so that the slide fastener will not be shifted out of its closing position accidentally or through any action of the bird on which the case or boot C is placed.

A slightly different embodiment of my invention is shown in Figs. 4 and 5 in association with a leg M and associated foot of a turkey. The device of Figs. 4 and 5 is constructed in general along the same lines as the previously described form and has toe and spur receiving portions 19, 26, 2i and 22 similar to the portions ii, I, 8 and 9 of the first described form and having reinforcing layers 19a, 20a, 21a. and 22a of fabric applied in the same manner as in the first described form. The front portion of the device D of Figs. 4 and 5 is provided with a pair of spaced slits 23 and 24 defining atongue-like element 25 serving as a closure which may be swung into and out of a position wherein the element 25 will close the front side of the upper portion of the case D.

Cords 26 and 21 are attached to opposite sides of the case D and are arranged to be swung across the front side of the case D outwardly of the tongue 25 and thereafter tied together to draw the upper part of the case D snugly about the turkey leg M. Cords 28 and 29 are attached to opposite sides of the upper end of the case D and may be extended across the frontal opening of the case D and tied together to snugly anchor the uppermost portion of the case D to the turkeys leg.

My breeding season boot for male turkeys feet two forms of which have been described above is completely effective in preventing tearing of the female turkeys skin by the claws of the male turkey during the breeding season. The female is not burdened by any device such as an apron or saddle and may receive the full benefit of air and sunlight.

It is apparent that I have invented a novel, light, effective and inexpensive boot for the express purpose of preventing tearing of the female turkeys skin during the breeding season. While I have described the device as applied to turkeys it is obviously well adapted for use with any other type of fowl wherewith the damage to the female fowl is likely to occur.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the various parts throughout the views without departing from the scope of my invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A boot for a male turkeys foot comprising, a flexible casing having stalls therein for receiving the claws and spur of a turkeys foot, said casing having a slit therein whereby the turkeys foot is received within the casing and means for releasably securing the casing to the turkeys foot.

2. A breeding season boot for a male turkeys foot comprising, a covering suitably shaped for placement thereof on a turkeys foot, toes and spur to cover the same, and releasable means for preventing withdrawal of a turkeys foot from within said covering.

3. A breeding season boot for a male turkeys foot comprising, a covering suitably shaped for containing the foot, toes, spur and lowermost portion of the leg of a turkey, said covering having a portion thereof openable for insertion of a turkeys foot therein, and releasable means for nor mally holding said openable portion closed to prevent withdrawal of a turkeys foot from said covering.

4. A breeding season boot for a male turkeys foot comprising, a case suitably shaped for containing the foot, toes, spur and lowermost portion of the leg of a turkey, said case being slit from the upper end thereof downwardly to provide access of a turkeys foot to the interior thereof, and releasable means cooperating with the upper portion of said case to therewith closely encircle the lower portion of a turkey leg.

5. A breeding season boot for a male turkeys foot comprising, a case suitably shaped for containing the foot, toes, spur and lowermost portion of the leg of a turkey, said case having a slit therein extending from the upper end thereof downwardly for access of a turkeys foot to the interior thereof, and releasable means for interconnecting portions of said case defining said slit to co-operate with said case in encircling a turkeys lower leg.

6. A breeding season boot for a male turkeys foot comprising, a case shaped for containing a turkeys foot, spur and adjoining leg portion, said case having a slit therein extending from the upper end'thereof downwardly for access of a turkeys foot to the interior thereof, and a slide fastener associated with said case for closing said slit.

7. A breeding season boot for a turkeys foot comprising, a case shaped for containing a turkeys foot, spur and adjoining leg portion, said case having a slit therein extending from the upper end thereof downwardly for access of a turkeys foot to the interior thereof, a slide fastener associated with said case for closing said slit and having the usual apertured fingerpiece carried by the slide thereof, and elongated flexible elements attached to generally diametrically opposite points on the upper portion of said case and adapted to be tied together at the front of said case; after one thereof has been passed through the aperture of said fingerpiece.

8. A breeding season boot for a male turkeys foot comprising, a case suitably shaped for containing the foot, toes, spur and lowermost portion of the leg of a turkey, the upper portion of said case being open at the front side thereof for access of a turkeys foot to the interior thereof, a tongue carried by said case to be swingable into and out of a position wherein said tongue constitutes at least a partial closure for the open front side of said case, and releasable means arranged for extension thereof across said open front side and for interconnection thereby of portions adjacent opposite edges of said open front side to prevent withdrawal of a turkeys foot from the interior of said case.

CHARLES I. CHEELEY. 

